An account of the partial excavation of a 'wag' or galleried building at Forse, in the parish of Latheron, Caithness

Abstract

Wags were folds for cattle, sheep or other livestock. The ruin consisted of a long chamber on the western side, lying approximately NNW and SSE, with the entrance from the latter direction, and two similar chambers, contiguous, on the eastern side, with an indeterminate mass of ruins occupying the space between the eastmost pair and that first mentioned, the whole contained within an encircling wall, reduced in parts almost to foundation level. The westernmost structure had a clay floor and a few fragments of coarse pottery were recovered. One of the chambers on the east was clearly intended for human occupation. A hearth, fire cracked stones, pots and pot lids were found. The structure appears to have been abandoned when the roof collapsed.